The present invention relates to a bellows as a part of a connection between two hinge-linked vehicles or of an aircraft boarding bridge.
A web of material for manufacturing a bellows is known. Usually, such a web of material consists of two fabric layers, the fabric layers being coated with an elastomer that is vulcanized after application. However, what are referred to as silicone-coated material webs are also known.
To stabilize the bellows, both on a corrugated and on a pleated bellows, peripheral frames are provided for taking hold of the web of material in a clamping manner in the region of the edges. These frames are made from aluminum and take hold of the web of material in a clamping manner. In order to ensure the required tightness of the bellows, a sealing material is provided in the region of the frame in order to prevent water penetration. In order to further ensure that the frame does really permanently take hold of the webs of material grasped by the frame, the frame is beaded over its length in the region of the webs of fabric. Furthermore, the webs of material comprise inserts in the region of the corners. That is, the bellows, namely both in the form of a corrugated bellows and in the form of a pleated bellows, are provided with special inserts in the corner region. The reason therefor is that the bellows are subject to increased load in the corner region.
It appears from the above that the manufacturing of a bellows is very complex, which makes such a bellows quite expensive. In order to reduce the costs, it is already known to make such bellows between two hinge-linked vehicles with only one single fabric web. The fabric is then subjected to plastic deformation, the result of plastic deformation being that the spaces between the discrete threads substantially disappear. In this regard, less coating material is needed since this coating material, be it an elastomer that is vulcanized subsequently or a silicone, can be applied in a thinner layer, so that the bellows is relatively lighter. To this extent, it is not necessary to provide a peripheral frame for stabilization in each pleat or corrugation of a pleated or corrugated bellows. However, the insulating effect, in particular with respect to sound, is lower than the insulation in a bellows having a double-layer fabric web.